There's a ringing in my ears as I take a deep breath and stride out onto the stage, trying to ignore the crowd. I hold that breath for a few moments to I clear my mind, then slowly let it out as I place an easy smile on my face and begin flowing through the choreography. The music moves me across the stage, pouring into my soul as I freely release emotions into my movements for the audience to see.

Have Your Voice Heard: Become an Odyssey Creator

The music fades; I freeze into my final position. The audience erupts with applause, and I hear my best friend screaming my name, but they are all just a blur. The lights fade from golden to black. As I make my way off of the stage, I can feel the excitement and adrenaline pumping through my veins like a natural high. This is the rush I get from dancing: the feeling of pride and joy that I get from performing. Dancing is an art that helps release all the stress I feel; it is a sport I truly love and am passionate about. Whether it be ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, hip hop or any other form, I am in love with dancing.

Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved dancing. I was enrolled in my first ballet class when I was merely three years old. I did take a break from it when I was six, but joined another studio when I was eleven. Getting back into dance classes was the best decision I ever made. Through the help of my fabulous dance teacher, I've been given the opportunity to do what I love, and grow as not just a dancer, but a person as I learn life lessons through every step; after all, the world is a stage, and life is a dance. Through countless nights of practicing I've become a driven person who strives to improve in every class as well as in other areas of my life. My teacher taught me to never give up, and for that I am forever grateful. I've learned to always stay focused to never get dizzy; if you stare at a single spot the entire time you do pirouettes, you'll never be dizzy, just like how if you focus on what's important, you won't lose sight of your "spot", in this case meaning your goals. Finally, I've learned how important it is to put your all into the things you love. Those euphoric memories I get of nailing performances are some of the best memories I have. I put my whole heart into those dances and loved every second of them; I wouldn't trade those feelings for anything.